Quadraceratops by Quadraceratops
‘Seven tightly argued compositions. […] The writing for the four horns…is a cut above, with intricate interplay and voicings that echo the late Kenny Wheeler’s subtle complexities.’ *** – Mike Hobart, Financial Times

‘Names such as Kenny Wheeler and Mike Gibbs com[e] to mind…a very promising addition to the new scene.’ *** – Jazzwise

‘Quadraceratops can rattle the rafters with the best of them.’ **** – Bruce Lindsay, All About Jazz

‘On the evidence of [the] seven Roberts originals here, she’s a blossoming presence among the UK’s big-ensemble jazz composers, capable of a similar early-career impact to that of Django Bates in the 1980s. […] She’s one to watch.’ *** – John Fordham, The Guardian

‘Cath Roberts is an emerging talent and Quadraceratops represents an outstanding début. This is a musician and a band that we will doubtless be hearing a lot more of.’ **** – The Jazz Mann

‘A very impressive debut…a great album.’ – Sandy Brown Jazz

‘Listening to Quadraceratops makes me think of Loose Tubes somehow…there’s an individuality in the writing for the closely arranged horns that recalls the freshness of Django Bates and co.’ *** – Marlbank

‘Cath Roberts has woven an intriguingly personal mix of musical styles into a very fine debut album that leaves me wanting to hear her again.’ – Jazz Views

Images: Live in Manchester as part of ‘LUME On Tour’ in Summer 2015 by Dee Byrne, recording our debut album in Spring 2014 by Alex Bonney.

Word Of Moth (2014 – 2017)

A LUME quartet project comprising Dee Byrne (alto sax), Cath Roberts (baritone sax), Seth Bennett (bass), and Tom Greenhalgh/Johnny Hunter (drums). The group’s ‘spontaneous group explorations and tightly-scored, big-booted riffs’ were praised by Daniel Spicer in the Wire magazine after their appearance at LUME Festival in Summer 2016. They also performed at Lancaster Jazz Festival in 2015 and Jazzwerkstatt Bern festival, Switzerland, in 2017.

Photo: Tom Ward.

Saxoctopus (2014)

A cautionary lesson on the dangers of social media, this eight-saxophone behemoth underwent the transformation from Twitter joke to actual band in 2014 when Corey Mwamba offered them a gig in Derby. The group also appered twice at the Vortex in London. It played original compositions by its members, as well as being a vehicle for exploring graphic scores and guided group improvisation. The lineup:

A cross-genre monthly night Cath co-ran with Dan Paton under the promoter name ‘In League With Robots’, Collisions happened in the basement of the Albany near Great Portland Street in central London. Gigs we put on in 2013 (three posters by Ricky Day, one by Cath):

Greetings

Welcome to the website of Cath Roberts, a saxophonist and composer based in London.